


Hope For The Hopeless

by shiny_glor_chan



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: End Game Spoilers, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Spoilers, World of Ruin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-15
Updated: 2016-12-15
Packaged: 2018-09-08 22:06:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8865181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shiny_glor_chan/pseuds/shiny_glor_chan
Summary: Prompt: any, any, "we found love in a hopeless place"Noctis' hand feels warm in his, and Prompto lets himself be lead away without a complaint. SPOILERS for last game chapter.





	

Ten years. Time passes in slow motion when Prompto finally sees Noctis again. He thinks it's not just him as they all get a chance to sweep him into a hug. Prompto hasn't seen any of these men in a long while, but at least he knew Gladio and Ignis were alive from word of mouth Cindy and Talcott. 

“Prompto?” Noctis questions quietly, when they've made camp; it'll probably be their last camp out together.

“Hmm? Yeah, buddy?” Prompto answers, all eyes on Noctis, as though he's been able to look away for more than a moment in fear he'll disappear like a dream.

Noctis glances back at Ignis, who is unhappily receiving help from Gladio to prepare their meal. “Can we talk? Just the two of us.”

Prompto's brows furrow, but with Ignis and Gladio distracted, he sees no reason to deny Noctis his request. “Sure. We shouldn't wander too far, though. Daemons everywhere and all that.”

“Not too far,” Noctis agrees, taking Prompto by the hand and leading him away from camp.

Noctis' hand feels warm in his, and Prompto lets himself be lead away without a complaint. The warmth distracts him. He hasn't felt quite like this in so long that it's hard to let go of Noctis' hand when they arrive, just out of earshot but not completely out of sight of the camp.

Silence falls over the two of them for a long moment. Prompto doesn't find it completely awkward, but he's jittery and nervous, wondering what Noctis has to say to him that can't be said in front of their friends. It sends his thoughts into overdrive, ones he hasn't had in ages.

Over the past ten years, his insecurities have been a challenge he's overcome, but Prompto curses himself for never letting himself get over his biggest one. Whether Noctis knew it or not, he had and still has a lot of power over Prompto's self worth. It's something Prompto never minded before, since it was usually a help, not a hindrance.

Now, Prompto's confidence isn't faked, not like in high school or those scant years after, before the world went to hell. “What did you want to talk about, Noct?” Prompto asks, deciding to break the silence before it slowly suffocates him.

“The words are hard to say,” Noctis mutters, looking like an awkward teenager that Prompto never saw him as, even though the world aged him quicker than it should have. “Give me a moment.”

“I'd give you anything,” Prompto replies honestly, and he doesn't regret the words when they pass his lips without thought. “You know that.”

A smile tugs at Noctis' lips, and Prompto's heart jumps. “Yeah, that's what makes this hard. I don't want your answer to what I say to be an obligation to your friend or king...”

Prompto snorts then grins, giving Noctis a little shove at his shoulder. “When has that ever been the case, man?” he questions teasingly.

“I love you,” Noctis blurts out, then immediately ducks his head. “There was going to be build up. Of course I love you, but it's not the same way as I do Ignis or Gladio. You know that, right?”

The words catch in Prompto's throat. On a few different levels, he's always wanted to hear those words from Noctis. The friendship level. The found family level. Sometimes, when alone with his thoughts, Prompto let himself imagine this moment, that there would be a moment that the words could possibly be romantic in nature.

Hearing them out loud, Prompto still scarcely believes it. “I didn't, but I always sorta had hoped...?” he offers, swallowing hard as Noctis looks up at him with wide eyes. “I never really had the courage in high school, then after well... You were getting married. I told myself to be happy for you, and I knew you'd be happy with Luna...”

“Then everything went to hell,” Noctis points out, his smile slipping away before his brows furrow in confusion. “Wait, high school? You had a crush on me in high school?”

Prompto grimaces at the fact Noctis caught that part. “Yeah? It wasn't really... I mean, that's not why I became your friend! I really wanted to be friends with you then... Well, it just happened.”

“Same,” he replies in return, and Prompto tilts his head, not quite understanding. “You were really my first friend, and then it just happened. I didn't really think about it until just before we left city, before the engagement announcement... Then it seemed cruel to say anything.”

“That makes sense,” Prompto agrees quietly. “I can't believe I never noticed. I guess I was too wrapped up in myself back then.”

Noctis snorts. “I think we all were a little more self absorbed back then. We had to grow up quick, though,” he says quietly as he reaches for Prompto's hand.

Prompto's fingers lace with Noctis' easily, a perfect fit. “Yeah,” he murmurs, squeezing Noctis' hand. “If it wasn't clear before because I'm an idiot and didn't say the words, I love you, too, Noct. Always have.”

“Good,” Noctis murmurs, lifting their joined hands to press a kiss to the back of Prompto's hand. “I wish we could had more time. There's so much more to say, I think.”

“We'll take what we got. That's what I've learned,” Prompto says as he lays his free hand on Noctis' cheek. “If tonight's what we have, that'll have to be enough, right?”

“Right,” Noctis agrees, leaning into Prompto's touch. “Can I kiss you?”

Prompto chuckles. “I dunno, can you, Noct?” he asks cheekily, which Noctis takes as a challenge and leans forward to close the space between their lips.

Any dreams pale in comparison to the moment they kiss. Prompto is almost glad their first kiss hadn't been back then, back when he would have fumbled his way through the whole thing. His confidence that he's not an awkward teenager anymore helps him kiss back with everything he has and feels for this man he'd follow anywhere.

Noctis' free hand runs through Prompto's hair and grips for a moment, and Prompto can't help the moan that slips from his lips into the kiss. He's too distracted by the kiss to feel embarrassed over it, but by the way Noctis kisses him harder, Prompto doesn't think he minds much.

Unfortunately, they can't just kiss the night away, so Prompto reluctantly pulls away. Noctis' eyes are dark and half lidded when he breaks away. Prompto can't help but steal a quick kiss before pulling away completely.

“We should get back. Gladio will come looking for us, and he'll never let us hear the end of it,” Prompto reminds Noctis softly, earning him a groan.

“We could just run away together,” Noctis jokes, and Prompto smiles back sadly. “Maybe in another life.”

Swallowing down the sudden wave of sadness threatening to overtake him, Prompto grabs Noctis' hand again. “Yeah, of course. You and me, it's a date.”

“I'm holding you to that,” Noctis tells him as they walk back to camp, still holding hands.

“It's a promise,” Prompto swears, and he prays to any god listening that it's one he can keep.


End file.
